Vasodilators

Vasodilators are effective at lowering blood
pressure quickly. They are
most often used in combination with other blood pressure
medicines. When used
alone they can cause you to retain fluid and your heart
to beat too quickly.

Common Names of Vasodilators

The following table lists some of the common
brand and generic names
for vasodilator medicines.

brand

generic

Apresoline

hydralazine HCI

Loniten

minoxidil

How Vasodilators Work

This type of medicine lowers blood pressure
by relaxing, or widening,
the smooth muscles in the inner walls of your blood
vessels. This allows blood to
flow through your blood vessels more easily. The result
is a decrease in your
blood pressure.

Precautions and Possible Side Effects

Precautions to take when you are on
vasodilators:

Keep all your follow-up appointments with your
doctor.
This class of medicines may cause dangerously low blood
pressure. Your doctor
will monitor you carefully to prevent this effect.

Possible side effects of
vasodilators:

dizziness

fluid retention

headache

nausea

palpitations or changes in the heart rate

skin rash

Not everyone who takes a vasodilator will have these
side effects. You should not
be afraid to take your medicine because of the side
effects listed. They are
listed so that you can watch out for them and tell your
doctor right away if you
experience any of them.

Before you take a vasodilator, tell your
doctor and your pharmacist
about all the medicines you take. Include medicines you
take for your blood
pressure as well as for any other problem. Tell them
about everything you take
and how much you take each day, including all of the
following:

prescription medicines

over-the-counter medicines

herbs

vitamin and mineral supplements

It's best to keep an updated list of these and bring a
copy to give to your
doctor. That way you can add to it whenever you take
something new or delete
the types you no longer take. Make a copy for each of
your doctors so that they
can keep it in your file. This complete list helps your
doctor be better prepared
to prescribe a vasodilator that is the least likely to
interact with your other
treatments.